A rare natural hybrid of Primulina (Gesneriaceae) is abloom in Green House of GCCC

It is well-known that
hybridization is the regular method to get new plant varieties. Sometimes, we
can find some natural crossing original species of Gesneriaceae plants, for
example Primulina cardaminifolia Yan
Liu & W.B. Xu, we mentioned before, which is the most probably natural
hybrid origin. However, even if some species of same or different genera of
Gesneriaceae grow in the same locality and get some interspecific hybrids
offspring, it is not easy and rare to form a stable hybrid population so that
it can evolve to be a good species. For instance, a failed “species” example is
Oreocharis × heterandra D. Fang & D.H. Qin. Its population absolutely
depends on the much larger population base of its parents, O. argyreia Chun ex K. Y. Pan and O. magnidens Chun ex K. Y. Pan. Oreocharis
× heterandra can not form normal
pollens and seeds so that it can’t get the normal offspring. It is not a “good”
species. Another good example is Petrocosmea
× longianthera Z.J. Qiu & Y.Z.
Wang. Its parents are P. martinii
(Lévl.) Lévl. and P. yanshanensis Z.J.
Qiu & Y.Z. Wang. At present Petrocosmea
× longianthera have formed a stable
population. It is a “good” species.

Figs. 1

So, can we find some
natural interspecific hybrids offspring of Primulina
in the field? After all Primulina
is the biggest genus in Chinese Gesneriaceae. Obviously, you can we can
everyone can. However, because those interspecific hybrids offspring can’t form
normal pollens, they will disappear after some years. If you find the natural
hybrids, please help them to propagate.

Figs. 2

How to do? Leaf Cutting! Of course, you should help them to get a “legitimate ID”. To register a name at the Gesneriad Society. Good name, good luck!

Figs. 3

Those wonderful
photos belong to a natural hybrid. It was found by Dr Wen Fang and Dr Hong Xin
in DaxinCounty (2014). They collected some
leaves from the only one individual. Now many plants are being cultivated in
GCCC Green House.